1. Field of the Disclosure
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display (LCD) device, and more particularly, to an LCD device including a division-type upper cover having male and female coupling means at four corners, the male and female coupling means serving to provide a structural basis for assembly and to attenuate distortion of the LCD device.
2. Description of the Background Art
Generally, flat type display devices have been continuously developed as media to transmit visual information since the beginning of the 21th century. Among the various flat type display devices, liquid crystal display (LCD) devices are being spotlighted as the next cathode ray tube (CRT). In an LCD device, data signals are individually supplied to pixels arranged in matrixes according to image information, and optical transmittance of each pixel is controlled, thereby displaying a desired image.
However, the LCD device cannot spontaneously emit light therefrom, thereby requiring a backlight to additionally provide light for displaying an image. The backlight may have various types, but they may be largely divided into an edge type and a direct type according to the structure of the lamp that is installed in the backlight. An edge type indicates a backlight provided with one lamp at one side, or a backlight provided with two lamps at both sides. On the other hand, a direct type indicates a backlight having a plurality of lamps therebelow. Here, the lamp may include a cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp (CCFL), or an External Electrode Fluorescent Lamp (EEFL).
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a direct type LCD device in accordance with the conventional art.
As shown in FIG. 1, a reflection plate 12 for reflecting light supplied from a plurality of lamps 20 to a front surface of a liquid crystal (LC) panel 50 is attached onto a lower cover 10. The plurality of lamps 20 are fixed onto the reflection plate 12 by a fixing member, side supports 30. Although not shown, a rubber holder for protecting soldering parts of the two lamps 20 is formed at electrodes disposed at both sides of the lamps 20. The rubber holder is mounted in the side supports 30, and is fixed onto the lower cover 10.
A diffusion plate 35 for uniformly and forwardly distributing light reflected through the reflection plate 12 and an optical sheet 36 for complementing an optical characteristic of light passing through the diffusion plate 140 are provided. The optical sheet 36 includes a prism sheet for enhancing a frontal brightness of light passing through the diffusion plate 35 and a protection sheet disposed above the prism sheet for protecting the prism sheet from external scratch, etc.
A main support 40 for balancing an entire force of the LCD device is laminated on the optical sheet 36. Here, the main support 40 is formed to have a stepped portion on an upper surface thereof with consideration of the LC panel 50 to be laminated thereon.
The LC panel 50 laminated on the main support 40 is formed by undergoing many unit processes. That is, the LC panel 50 includes an array substrate; a switching device having a thin film transistor at each unit pixel; a color filter substrate having a color filter that represents colors; and an LC injected between the two substrates.
The upper cover 60 that covers an outer periphery of the LC panel 50 and side surfaces of the main support 40 is coupled to the lower cover 10 by an additional coupling means such as a hook.
As the LCD device becomes larger, all components of the LCD device also have to become larger, which creates problems. When the upper cover implemented as a metallic pattern is to be integrally fabricated, an entire frame having a rectangular shape is formed. Then, the frame undergoes a cutting process so that a central portion thereof can be opened. This may cause materials to be considerably wasted.